1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operation device. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that includes the operation device. In addition, the present invention relates to an operation method for the operation device.
2. Related Art
Recent years has witnessed broad product diversification of image forming apparatuses such as multifunction peripherals, copying machines, or the like that include multiple functions. This type of image forming apparatus includes a copying function for forming an image of an original, that is read by an original reading unit, with an image forming unit on a sheet of paper, a printer function for forming an image prepared by an external apparatus with the image forming unit on a sheet of paper, a facsimile function for sending the image of the original read by the original reading unit with a communication unit to an external apparatus, and the like.
A part or the whole of the items to be set such as operational conditions or the like in this type of multifunction image forming apparatus may differ with respect to each function. When operation members such as separate key switches are provided for all setting items in a multifunction image forming apparatus, simple execution of input operations by a user in relation to the setting items related to functions for execution may not be possible as a result of the complexity of the operation unit configuration. Consequently, a conventional multifunction image forming apparatus is used in which respective function items are constantly displayed on a predetermined display area on a screen in which setting items are displayed on a display unit, and when one function item is pressed, a predetermined number of the selection items associated with the function item is displayed in the screen.
In addition to independent execution of each function, a multifunction image forming apparatus exists in which a plurality of functions is executed in parallel. For example, this type of image forming apparatus enables execution of a reservation function for reserving a subsequent copying function during executing of the copying function, an interrupt copying function for interrupting the copying under other copying conditions during execution of the copying function, or the like. Furthermore, this type of image forming apparatus enables execution of a print reservation function for storing received image data sent from an external apparatus even during execution of the printing function. This type of image forming apparatus enables execution of a memory send/receive function for sending or receiving image data between an image memory and an external apparatus even during execution of the facsimile function.
When a conventional display method is used as the display method for a function item on the display unit in this type of image forming apparatus, display of the screen for a function under execution cannot be performed together with display of a screen related to another function. As a result, the user cannot gain an accurate understanding of the content (content of the setting conditions) of a screen related to a plurality of functions. Furthermore an image forming apparatus that adopts this type of conventional display method does not enable switching of the display of a screen related to a function during execution of a predetermined function to the display of a screen related to another function. Consequently, a user must wait until completion of the execution of the function.
For example, a function display method is disclosed that uses a display screen to display information that relates respectively to a plurality of types of functions that can be selected as a function for execution by the apparatus. (Related Art 1) This function display method is configured so that the display area allocated separately to each function in the display screen is varied in response to whether or not the function is selected, and when selection is possible of a part of the functions that are not selected as a result of the functions that are currently selected, a message to that effect is displayed in the display screen.
This configuration may enable a user to simply comprehend the selection state of each function from the position, shape or surface area of the display area for each function on the display screen when selecting a function for execution on the apparatus, and may enable the user to simply comprehend whether or not a part of the functions of those respective functions can be selected from the display content on the display screen.
Furthermore, an apparatus for display of arbitrary information content is disclosed that is configured from a display unit that has a display screen of a predetermined size and displays information content, and a control apparatus for control of input and output by the display unit (Related Art 2). The control apparatus executes divided display control in relation to a divided display area having two or more divisions in which the display screen is divided and delimited in advance into a vertical or horizontal direction for display of the information content of a superior layer in at least one of the divided display areas, and for the display of the information content of an inferior layer in the other of the divided display areas.
This configuration enables a user to observe the display content of a superior level and the display content of an inferior level at the same time on the same display screen. In addition, in contrast to switching the whole display from the superior layer information content to the inferior layer display content, this configuration enables the information content from the superior layer to remain on the same display screen, and therefore a user may improve the function selection operation characteristics when the display screen is applied as a function selection operation screen or the like.
In addition, a sheet processing system is disclosed that includes a plurality of sheet processing apparatuses that has a sheet processing function, and that executes a job being a sheet processing operation unit with one sheet processing apparatus, or with a combination of sheet processing apparatuses. (Related Art 3) This sheet processing system enables parallel execution of a plurality of jobs, and is provided with a display unit for enabling simultaneous division and display in a single display frame of a job display screen for each job in response to the number of jobs executed during parallel execution of a plurality of jobs.
This configuration enables superior visualization and simultaneous display of a plurality of job displays by use of a screen division when executing a plurality of jobs in parallel.
When using Related Art 1, a user can recognize the selection state of each function. However, the screen for each function is displayed as a screen that differs from the screen that is visually observed by the user. Consequently, it is not clear whether the visibility for a user is satisfactory, and a user may encounter difficulties in relation to directly comprehending the correlation between the function and the screen.
When using Related Art 2, since the display content of a superior layer in relation to a predetermined function is displayed on the same display screen as the display content of an inferior layer, it may become unclear whether the display method is applicable to a plurality of functions.
When using Related Art 3, since the image displayed on the display unit is dynamically varied in response to the state of the plurality of jobs, the content of the screen must be comprehended by a user at each change of a screen.